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Minister’s Forum

In the beginning, God created the Garden of Eden for his children. In the midst of the garden grew the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and the Tree of Life. The Lord God told Adam that he could eat from any tree in the Garden of Eden except one, the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Instead of listening to the word of the Lord, Adam and Eve both ate from the forbidden tree, plunging our world in to a downward spiral of sin and death. The entire world was cursed. Everything from the plant life, to the animal life, and now human life was under a curse. Death entered into the perfect world the Lord God created.
What does the Lord God do? He comes looking for his lost children. The ones trying to hide from the sound of him walking in the garden. He clothes them and protects them from the Tree of Life.
By banishing Adam and Eve from the garden, he protects them from living forever in their sinful and dying condition. The Lord God also promises them a savior. From the seed of the woman, a Savior would come to free us from the curse of sin and death.  
The promised savior would come and restore life to this fallen world. On a tree, he would be crucified to pay the penalty for our sins. On this cross, planted on the hill called Golgotha, Jesus would suffer and die for the sins of the entire world. Jesus shed his blood so that everyone in the world could have life. Then,  on that glorious Easter Sunday, Jesus rose. Death could not hold him!
As a resurrected Savior, Jesus comes to bring life! Jesus earned for us the forgiveness of sins. By shamefully allowing himself to be nailed to a tree, he secured our salvation for eternity. Now God invites all to eat the fruit of his salvation that he offers at church. Come to church and hear of Jesus’ saving love for you.
Read the words of this hymn:
"What mercy God showed to our race,
A plan of rescue by his grace.
In sending one from woman’s seed,
The one to fill the greatest need.
For on a tree up lifted high,
His only son for sin would die.
Would drink the cup of scorn and dread,
To crush the ancient serpent's head!
Now from that tree of Jesus' shame,
Flows life eternal for all who trust and will believe,
Salvation’s living fruit receive.
And of this fruit so pure and sweet,
The Lord invites the world to eat.
To find within this cross of wood,
The tree of life with every good.
(Hymn written by Stephen Starke, Lutheran Service Book, hymn 561:3-4.)

Rev. Peter Kolb • Holy Cross Lutheran Church

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